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Zianna Silva, 8, Apache/Lakota, is creating a painting she titles “Dots” for an art show at Denver Indian Center, whose graphic arts programs may be furthered through a new $30,000 grant from Comcast. (Carol Berry)

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Comcast Supports Denver Indian Center

Carol Berry

8/14/12

Sage Apodaca, 10, Blackfoot/Southern Ute is writing a thank-you note after a class in digital storytelling at Denver Indian Center using skills that may be enhanced under a recently-announced grant from Comcast. (Carol Berry)

What does it take to get at least some basic insight into Native American communities? For one major company, it took at least 11 visits to cities across the U.S., discussions with Indian organizations and an assessment of Indian needs related to company resources.

For Jay Grimm, director of the Denver Indian Center (DIC), Comcast’s initiative in Indian country is a sign the company “gets it” in a way few large corporations have done in terms of understanding the Native community.

Comcast/NBC Universal gave DIC a two-year $30,000 grant to be used for youth leadership development, and provided e-mail responses about Comcast’s programs in the Indian world.

Grimm said the grant at DIC would be used for general business skills, graphic design, digital literacy and a number of other activities to foster growth.

“Jay and his team are doing terrific work in all those areas and we look forward to partnering with them throughout the year in many ways beyond this financial support,” said Cindy Parsons, Comcast vice president of public relations.

To Comcast, diversity is important so the company can “reflect the communities we serve,” she said, noting the “remarkable increase in Native Americans living in urban areas, many of them being Comcast markets.”

“It’s important that we support organizations like the Denver Indian Center, who are doing so much for urban Indians. And the Denver Indian Center is a perfect fit for Comcast in terms of our focus areas of digital literacy, youth leadership development and community service,” she said.

During the current year, a Comcast official dealing with contributions made trips to Denver and other Indian lands and communities in and near Longmont, Colorado; Albuquerque; Gallup, New Mexico; Tucson, Arizona; Minneapolis; St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Seattle; Bellingham, Washington; and Hollywood, Florida.

“Comcast, unlike other corporate foundations, has become very acquainted with Indian country to assure they are aware of the needs of our people,” Grimm said, noting the company is “aware of the importance of building relationships. This can result in increased foundation dollars to our people.”

Grimm said that the company also provided a grant “to assist with increasing awareness of our American Indian community by developing a public service announcement that will air nationally. This will be done from a strength-based approach to increase a positive image of our people,” he added.

A company publication, Comcast Voices, described Comcast/NBCUniversal’s progress since the two companies joined in early 2011 by noting that “while we’ve made real progress in delivering on our diversity commitments, we know those efforts remain a work in process.”

NBCUniversal attended the 25th Annual Reservation Economic Summit (RES 2011) and American Indian Business Trade Fair, attended by American Indian and Indigenous entrepreneurs and economic decision-makers as well as government and corporate executives and buyers.

Comcast plans to launch 10 new independent channels over the next eight years, eight of which will be African American or Latino owned and/or operated, and Comcast has reached agreement to expand the reach of eight Hispanic networks by more than 14 million subscribers, according to the company publication.

Among other minority-oriented undertakings, Comcast plans to boost the reach of an Asian pop culture channel by more than 2 million subscribers and two African-American-owned networks by a combined 2.3 million new homes, the company said.

In an ongoing program, Comcast said the company has helped more than 160,000 low-income families get online to bring the internet into their homes, but decided that bridging the digital divide would also require digital literacy training and it established a learning center website.

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